The Story About The Barunsai

There was also this story from PITAS about the Bajau community who does the Barunsai (a kind of local dance) and merry making. Barunsai is normally done at wedding or festivals or reception of important people. The merrymaking lasted for many hours with lots of laughter. The people were so happy that they had forgotten the time and they turned into stones. The stone can be sighted at PITAS at Kg Likapas, near Pualau Jambongan. Such stories are also quite common with the other ethnics especially the Dusun and there are many version. Some stories told was about some toad getting into the gravy and the audience laughed at it, while other stories was about a monkey that was dressed up and the audience laughed at it.This story was told by an Orang Sungai Iman and a Suluk.

The Legend From PITAS

PITAS is a district in the North of Sabah and the Orang Sungei and Suluk Communities stay there as well as the other ethnic of Sabah. One Imam of Pitas, Mr Amin Bin Iji 2 Aminullah Bin Eji enumerated the story of Siperak who returned home to Pitas after a long journey that made him very wealthy did not recognize and accepted his mother who was elated to see him back home. Because of his ego Siperak was cursed by the mother who upon hitting her right body made Siperak ship to rock to the right and on hitting her left body the boat rocked to the left. However both turned into stones and both can be seen in Pitas Kg Malubang. Such legend is not uncommon in this part of the region. They had similar stories of Sitanggang that also turned into a stone and similar stories in Brunei. Whatever it is such legend are part of the historical and cultural heritage of many communities. Siperak could have been named after the word 'perak' which means silver and silver is the money of that time. He could have come from Perak in Peninsular Malaysia.

What Have We Achieved In 2 Months

Writing and updating on the;

Blogs of Persatuan Sejarah Malaysia Sabah.
Makes blogs for Bajau Darau and Bajau Laut Communities.
Research on the Bajau Darau Community.
Research on the Bajau Laut Community.
Research on the Batu Payung Legend/Story in Tinagat Tawau.
Tawau Historical Landmarks.
The legend from Pitas about SiPerak and Barunsai of the Orang Sungai and Suluk

The month of August and September being the month of Ramadhan and Hari Raya had kept the Committee members occupied with their relgious obligation of fasting and feasting.

Remembering Sabah Independence

As we reach the 46 years of our independence in Malaysia on September 16, we ponder the rapid development and progress that had happened in Sabah. Persatuan Sejarah Malaysia Cawangan Sabah joins the other Malaysian in Sabah in wishing Sabah ;

SELAMAT MENYAMBUT HARI KEMERDEKAAN KE 46. MERDEKA


The immediate task is to make things happen in the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC).

You Could Count Them With Your Fingers

There are only about 3 old buildings left in Kota Kinabalu City; the old post office building, the sabah art gallery site and the old clock tower. The Japanese had bombed Kota Kinabalu during WW2 in the year 1945 that leave us with only 3 buildings, one of which was burnt.

Kota Kinabalu and Sabah for that matter is a story about piracy and rebellion coming mainly from the Bajau against the British East India Company. The story of Mat Salleh and Shariff Osman at Marudu were good example of such activities.

The British initially established a settlement at Gaya Island, off Kota Kinabalu, but they later shifted to Kota Kinabalu, known as Api Api then because of attacks from the pirates.